Siddur Rabbi Shabtai of Rashkov - Rare First Edition of the First Chassidic Siddur in the World

Siddur Rabbi Shabtai of Rashkov - Rare First Edition of the First Chassidic Siddur in the World

Siddur Tefillah L'Kol HaShanah im Kavvanot HeAr"i. Siddur in the Sephardic nusach with the Ar"i's intentions and conduct; intentions and yichudim from the G-dly Ba'al Shem Tov, with glosses and dikdukei sofrim by the gaon Rabbi Shabtai of Rashkov. Koritz, 1794. First edition of Siddur Rabi Shabtai. Three parts. Incomplete copy.

First edition of this rare and sought-after siddur, with all the sections, prayers for festivals and the Passover haggadah, and with high holiday prayers. 

Just a few years before printing this siddur, siddurim began to be printed in an Askenazic version with the Ar"i's intentions, and Chassidic tzaddikim began to pray from those. However, this is the first siddur in nusach Sephard that has yichudim and customs from the Ba'al Shem Tov added to it.

Rabbi Shabtai of Rashkov, the renowned Kabbalist who was one of the members of the Ba'al Shem Tov's "heichal, " arranged the siddur according to the Ar"i's intentions and with supplements from the Ba'al Shem Tov.

Indeed, this siddur was very sought-after by tzaddikm, and even before it was printed, it was known and many yearned to pray from it. As the Ba'al Shem Tov's disciple, Rabbi Yosef Moshe of Mezeritch, wrote in his approbation to this siddur, 'I have already heard that many complete and reverent tzaddikim of our generation desire and yearn to quench their thirst and finally see this siddur, because it is so hard to find, especially as it contains several innovations and yichudim from my rabbi and teacher, the light of the Jewish people ... the Ba'al Shem Tov, ztzllh"h.'

We will note what has been brought, that Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin said that this siddur is his vitality. It is also related among Chassidim that the siddur's manuscript was hidden in a lit oven and did not burn. [Refer to Magdil Yeshuot page 70, and Even Shetiyah HeChadash II page 448.]

Mizmor LeMenatzeach in the form of a menorah is printed on leaf 17 and leaf 38 in the second pagination. With Kabbalistic sketches, Stefansky, Chassidut 426.

This copy is lacking leaf 27, out of over a total of 500 leaves in all three parts of the siddur.

Lacking leaves in the beginning of the first part and at the end of the second part and the third part, and additional leaves in other parts.

Precise specifications (mispaginated):

The part for weekdays and Shabbat should be: 2, 263, 261-344 leaf. Present here: 3-261, 263-344. Lacking: 1-2, 1-2, 5-8, 66-67, 298-299, 336-340, for a total of ten leaves lacking (not including the unnumbered leaf before minchah of Erev Shabbat).

The part for festivals with the Passover Haggadah should be: 62 leaf. Present here: 2-59 leaf. Lacking: 1, 4, 30-32, [41-43], [45], 60-62. (Lacking the first leaf, 3 leaves at the end and 8 leaves in the middle), a total of 12 leaves lacking.

The part for Yamim Nora'im should be 99 leaves. Present here: 96 leaf. Lacking leaf 29, 56, and leaves 97-99 at the end, for a total of 5 leaves.

The siddur in general is in good condition.

The leaves of most siddurim for tefillat Shacharit are in poor condition due to their immediate use. In this copy, even those leaves are in very fine condition.

17 cm. Handwritten gloss.

Fine condition. Minimal aging stains and worming perforations. Approximately 3 leaves only with tears or lack and damage in the text on leaves 3, 76, and 99 in the first pagination. Simple binding.